VIEWERS

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Try Me?

A viewer (also called a browser) is the software that lets you see this. What is this? Well, if your viewer has an option to "view source," try it. A viewer is sort-of like needing a pair of 3-D glasses to view a 3-D movie.

Many different viewers are available. Perhaps the way you are viewing webs could be more pleasant. However you choose to view a web, knowing how to operate your viewer won't hurt. Go ahead. Try clicking on some of the menu options. In particular, try your page back and page forward buttons. If you would like to view some other basic "hints", please click on these words.

Most viewers allow you to hear sound. Some do not. If you can hear sound with your computer when doing other things, you should be able to connect the sound to your viewer. Check your viewers "options" or "preferences." Click here to learn more about hearing sound on the world wide web or click here for more multimedia tests.

Some viewers can only see text. Some viewers can't see everything. The two most common forms of pictures on the world wide web are "giffs" and "jpegs." If you can't see either of these, check to make sure you have your viewer set to view images. Still can't see? Maybe an additional software set-up (like a jpeg viewer) is needed, or maybe you should check into a whole new viewer below.

Would you like to try your viewer out on a "giff" or "jpeg" ?

The background of this page should have question marks (?) all over it. If you can't see backgrounds, you may be missing a large part of the show.

Here are some more tests. The word should appear the same as what it is. For instance, the word blinking should be blinking.

REAL BIG

real small

Centered


Preferences & Upgrades

Since you've made it here, presumably you already have a viewer. However, you may wish to upgrade. First, make sure you are getting the most out of the viewer you have. Click on your viewer's menu bar to see if you have a "preferences" or "helper applications" choice. This is where you tell your viewer what software program to run for different types of files. For instance, this avi file will only be viewable if you have set up your viewer to talk to your multi-media player. (avi, mov & mpeg files are video. The same holds true for wave (.wav) files - most viewers won't play sound files unless you tell them how to find your soundcard.) Click here to learn more about multi-media on the world wide web.

If you still can't get your viewer to perform, try either of the following places:

  • Mosaic from University of Illinois National Center for Supercomputing Applications

    or

  • Netscape from Netscape Communication Corporation

    Both of these are available on most FTP sites. If you have a question about FTP access (like, "what is it?"), "click" here, and maybe we can help you out.


    Membrane.com
    Created by: brouse@membrane.com & sidd@ohstpy.mps.ohio-state.edu [25 December94]